Thought Leader Spotlight: simran nath
featuring simran nath (she/her/hers), the founder of period.24
With an incredible mission to end period poverty and provide comprehensive sex-education to all, Simran is one of the co-founders of Period.24.
When she was 18, Simran went to her homeland of Fiji for the first time since her birth. While on her trip, Simran's sister started her period. They didn’t have any menstrual care products so they went to one of the largest supermarkets on the island. Simran was shocked to only find a shelf of single sized pads and applicator-free tampons with prices spiked so high that she could not imagine how local resident could afford these products.
Haunted by these images and the research that followed, Simran found her inspiration to build Period.24: a non-profit organization created in 2019 to provide a safe space for all menstruators despite gender or sex, because as we know, not all women menstruate and not all people who menstruate are women.
Learn more about Simran here.
We had the opportunity to sit down with Simran and ask her a few questions. Read more about her below.
Embrace Her Lead:
Tell us a little bit about Period.24. When did you know this was the cause you had a passion for and how did you get here?
simran:
Period.24 is a Bay Area youth-led non-profit organization aimed at ending period poverty and increasing inclusive sexual education. The idea of p.24 was born when I visited my homeland of Fiji back in 2017. I saw the lack of resources and spiked prices of products for the menstruators on the island and found this to be outrageous. When I came back from my trip and started doing research on period poverty I learned that 1 in 5 adolescents miss school due to lack of access to period products throughout the United States. This is a huge problem for the youth in our country, and more importantly, it is a problem that I believe can be solved - thus was born the idea of Period.24.
Embrace Her Lead:
How did you know that you needed to take a break and were experiencing burnout? How have you been taking care of yourself?
simran:
In all honesty, I prolonged taking a mental break for as long as I could. For a very long time, I felt that taking a break was equivalent to giving up. I saw so many peers keep pushing through their personal difficulties all for the same dream we share in common - the urge of seeing their brand/page/business grow into what you know it can. Once I began to feel like I was forcing myself to do something that originally started out to be meant as a fun passion project I knew I needed to take a step back and prioritize my mental health. Once I took control of my mental health I found that setting boundaries for myself is key to ensuring I don't overwhelm myself, especially with separating my work life from my personal life. I constantly use positive self-talk to motivate myself instead of putting myself down for things I wasn't able to accomplish (which was something I used to do often!) I make it a priority to get fresh air at least once a day, get my body moving, and journal my thoughts on a daily basis. Integrating these small acts into my daily routine has helped me feel like I'm doing something for myself before I have to dive into work or any other projects for others. I still enjoy creating - so I've had more time to invest myself into other personal projects that help feed my spirit - like creating and editing more videos and interior decorating.
Embrace Her Lead:
What are your thoughts on Hustle Culture and its effect? If you could do it all over again, would you change anything about the way you approached your journey?
simran:
In my opinion, the concept of Hustle Culture is a direct product of the capitalistic society we live in. While I understand that we need to work in order to make a decent living, I do not approve of the idea of driving yourself to the ground to do so. There are so many healthier alternatives to work and still get the results you want without constantly having to be burnt out, or thinking that burnout is "normal". I found that taking time for yourself, like actually taking time for yourself, helps push you out of whatever mental block you were feeling. We need to remember how important it is to put as much energy back into ourselves as we constantly do for our jobs, side hustles, family, friends, significant others, etc.
Embrace Her Lead:
What advice would you give others who are also experiencing burnout but not allowing themselves to take a break?
simran:
Give yourself the break you know you need - Your mind, body, and spirit will thank you so much for it. Also please remember that a break doesn't need to be a fancy two-week vacation or getaway. You can start today - do something that makes you feel present whether that's a spa day, take a walk on a nearby trail, or cook a meal that you love. The key is to simply be present and enjoy the moment you're in. This takes time and practice, but the more you give yourself quality time, the easier it'll get.
Embrace Her Lead:
Do you think that mentorship is important in your area of expertise? Have you had any mentors who helped shape or impact your professional or personal growth? Who do you look up to for mentorship?
simran:
Mentorship is key to professional and personal growth. I've had mentors in every phase of my life starting in high school, going into college, and even now post grad. I'm lucky to consider my current boss a great professional mentor as well as to be surrounded by very like-minded womxn who constantly advice and support me throughout all phases of my life.
Embrace Her Lead:
We think that it is your vulnerability, transparency, and authenticity which make you an inspirational thought leader. What are you extremely passionate about?
simran:
I am passionate about seeing more people who look like me and come from a background like me to make it. When I say "make it" I mean I wish for so many young women of color to have confidence in themselves to try something they normally wouldn't, to believe in themselves even in their lowest times the same way I had my inner circle do that for me. I am passionate about creating menstrual equity for all menstruators despite gender disparities, socio-economic status, or geographical location. I am passionate about seeing more WOC in positions of power in the workspace.
Embrace Her Lead:
What’s one thing you want people to know about you?
simran:
love to share my personality - so connect with me :)
Embrace Her Lead:
Lastly, where do you see Period.24 in a couple of years? And what change do you hope to accomplish?
simran:
In a few years, I hope to see Period.24 making a global impact on menstruators around the world. My original idea was to help people in Fiji get access to menstrual care products so I'd love to see that vision come to life. If a menstruator gets to go to school because of Period.24's efforts that's the best thing I could accomplish.
Interview by Regina Singh, Chief Operating Officer at Embrace Her Lead.
Our Thought Leader Spotlight series takes a deeper look into the journeys of inspiring women forging their own path from different walks of life. We all have layers that express far beyond what meets the eye in our life’s highlight reels, and through the perspectives shared in this series, we aim to provide a glimmer of inspiration that one may just be looking for in their own tale.
